Birds of the corvid family are super smart. Crows belong to this family. Though there are different species of crows, the New Calidonian crow is said to be the most intelligent. They are capable of creating tools from twigs and using them to dig out insects from crevices. Crows are generally said to recognise human faces and distinguish between friends and foes. So think twice before shooing away a crow next time!
Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix) in Israel use bread crumbs to bait-fish, and in Norway and Sweden, they drag fishing lines out of the water to get at the hooked fish. New Caledonian Crows (Corvus moneduloides) are famous for their innovations and tool-making, including “knives” made of stiff leaves.
Carrion Crows (Corvus corone) in Japan drop hard-to-crush nuts on the roadway at intersections so that moving traffic will crush them open. That may not seem so spectacular, but the crows also wait for the traffic light to change to red and then walk out in front of the stopped traffic to gather the nuts!
Crows are in the genus Corvus. There are about 32 crow species, plus several subspecies. Three species inhabit the U.S.: American Crow, Northwestern Crow, and Fish Crow. Another species, the Hawaiian Crow, is extinct in the wild but can be seen at the San Diego Zoo, where a captive breeding program is ongoing.
Picture Credt : Google
